Knot



Jan. 4, 1966 E. c. RUTTY 3, 7, 79

Filed Nov. 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EDWARD C. RUTTY v; v BYW ATTORNEYS ,1966 v E. c. RUTTY 3,227,479

KNO'I Filed Nov. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTOR.

EDWARD C.RUTTY ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,227,479 KNOT Edward C. Rutty, Portland, Conn., assignor to The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 325,926 6 Claims. (Cl. 289-12) The present invention relates to the tying of nonmetallic ribbonlike strapping material and more particularly to' a new and improved ligature-type knot useful in tying nonmetallic straps and to a new and improved method of tying a ligature-type knot.

It is a primary aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved ligature-type knot having particular utility for tying nonmetallic ribbonlike straps wrapped about an article for packaging and the like, and to provide a new and improved method. for tying with a rib-bonlike strap wrapped about an article and having only one free end available for tying the knot. Nonmetallic ribbonlike strapping material has been found to be useful as, for example, in conjunction with a baling press for packaging compressible fibers and the like, the strap being conventionally applied by feeding the strap from a coil of the strap, wrapping the strap about the package, and then severing and tying a selected length of the strap. The knots used to tie the strap can, of course, be any one of many well-known knots; however, with the use of conventional. knots it has been found that the strap has been considerably weakened in the region of the knot primarily because of the twisting and other distortion of the strap and the shear forces on the strap resulting from the formation of the knot, asrecognized in United. States Patent No. 3,075,794 dated January 29,. 1963, entitled Tension Knot and- Method of Forming Same. Included there fore in the primary aim of this invention is the provision of a knot of the type described which results in improved strap strength in the knot region and the provision of a method which facilitates tying with an indefinite length of strap, as for example with a strap fed from a supply coil.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved knot of the type described and a new and useful method of tying a strap having only one free end which can be used to provide an increased rate of packaging even. by the unskilled.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter;

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the' construction hereafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicatedin the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of. a: baling press installation incorporating noninetallic strapping material for securing the bales;

FIGS. 2-6 are enlarged perspective views which illustrate a. method of tying an embodiment of a knot in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 7-9 are enlarged perspective views which in conjunction with FIGS. 2-4 illustrate a method of tying another embodiment of a knot in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view, partly broken away, of a conventional nonmetallic strap.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals represent like parts and more particularly to FIG. 1, nonmetallic ribbonlike straps 10' have been found to be useful as a substitute for the more con- 3,227,479 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 ventional met-a1 bands of similar width and thickness, as for example, in conjunction with a baling press 12 for packaging compressible material, in which application the strap is manually tied while the bale is compressed. Conventionally, the nonmetallic straps 10 are constructed of textile fibers which are formed into a plurality, for example eighteen, individual parallel extending cords 11 (FIG. 10) suitably encased by a film 13 to provide a pliable but stiff web. Accordingly, the strap is comparatively strong in tension and comparatively weak in shear and any twisting or deformation of the strap is likely to reduce the strength of the individual cords and therefore the over-all strength of the strap.

In the illustrated installation of FIG. 1, the nonmetallic strap is manually fed from a coil 14 around a bale 15 with the coil 14 being preferably mounted above the baling press 12. The free end 16 of the coiled strap can be conveniently fed first across the top of the bale, downwardly along the back side of the bale, forwardly beneath the bale and upwardly along the front side of the bale, preferably without twisting the strap, whereupon the selected length of. strap in conventional methods of tying is first manually tied while the b-ale is compressed by the baling press and then severed from the coil.

Inaccordance with the present invention, an embodiment 18 of a knot of the present invention illustrated in FIG; 6 is tied by a method illustrated in FIGS. 26. This knot 18 is tied first by forming a portion of the strap adjacent the coil into a flat looped end 2% with portions 22, 24 in overlying face-to-face contiguous relationship whereby the looped end 2t) is essentially a double thickness of strap. In tying a bale in the manner shown, the looped end 20 is preferably held relatively taut adjacent the bale by the left hand while the free end 16 is fed over and underneath the looped end 20, as shown in FIG. 2, thus performing a one-half untwisted turn 19 of the free end about the looped end with the inner face 21 of the free end 16 engaging the bale also engaging the looped end 20. While still holding the looped end 20 with the left hand the free end is wrapped another full turn 23 about the one-half turn 19, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, thereby providing one and one-half overlying turns of untwisted strap about the looped end 20. The looped end 20 is then doubled back with its outer face 28 turned inwardly and the free end 16 is wrapped over and around and under the looped end, as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The free end 16 and looped end 20 are then drawn taut to secure the knot and the subsequent strap tension resulting when the baling press is released maintains the ligature-type knot of FIG. 6 taut. After the knot iscompleted, the tied loop of strap is conveniently severed from the remaining coiled strap to leave a severed end 29 which is preferably close to the knot to avoid leaving excess strap on the package thereby eliminating strap waste and reducing the vulnerability'of the knot to being untied by inadvertent catching of the ends of the knot.

Inasmuch as the free end 16 is wrapped about the looped end and therefore about a double thickness of strap, the shearing effect on the strap as a result of the turns 19, 23 is considerably reduced. Moreover, in the completed knot as turns 19, 23 are untwisted and are in overlying relationship the shearing eifect on the looped end is further reduced. Similarly, the Wrapping of the free end over and then under the untwisted doubled back portion of the looped end insures the retention of' the looped end with minimum slippage and therefore minimum abrasion within the knot as the strap is brought under tension with the releasing of the baling press.

A second embodiment 30 of the knot of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 9 is tied by a method illustrated by FIGS. 2-4 and 7-9. The severals steps in the tying of knot 18 illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 likewise apply to the tying of knot 30 and will therefore not be further described. The knot 39, however, differs from the knot 18 by the additional wrapping 32 of the looped end 20 about the free end 16 over the one and one-half turns 19, 23 to provide an additional turn 32 with the outer face of the looped end in engagement with the free end. Inasmuch as the turn 32 is formed by the double thickness looped end 20, the turn 32 is, in effect, a double turn in abutment with the turns 19, 23 which further assists in preventing slippage within the knot and therefore prevents abrasion of the strap as the tied strap is drawn taut. After the turn 32 is formed, the looped end 20 is doubled back with its outer face turned inwardly and the free end is wrapped over and under the doubled back portion of the looped end to complete the knot. The knot is then secured by drawing the looped and free ends taut, and the knotted loop is severed from the coiled strap, preferably close to the knot as with the knot 18 of FIG. 6.

Thus it can be seen that the knots 18, 30 of the present invention amply secure the ends of the strap with a minimum of distortion and twisting of the strap and therefore with minimum shearing forces on the strap resulting from the formation of the knot. Moreover, as the knot is tightly formed without leaving the knot in a condition for substantial further tightening when the tied strap is placed under tension, there will be a minimum slippage and therefore minimum strap abrasion within the knot. Further, with the new and improved method of tying the modified ligature knot of the present invention, the strap can be conveniently supplied from a reel with severing of the strap left until after the knot is formed whereby strap waste is eliminated and the chance of inadvertent knot release is minimized.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A ligature-type knot formed from an elongated ribbonlike strap with opposing faces comprising, a looped end of strap having a pair of overlying strap portions in contiguous face-to-face relationship, and a free end of strap passing at least one and one-half times around said overlying portions with one of the faces of the free end in engagement therewith to form at least one and one-half overlying and untwisted wraps of strap thereabout, the looped end being doubled back, the free end being wrapped over and under the doubled back portion of the looped end with said one face thereof in engagement with the looped end, and said ends being drawn taut to secure the knot.

2. A ligature-type knot formed from an elongated ribbonlike strap with opposing faces comprising, a looped end of strap having a pair of overlying strap portions in contiguous face-to-face relationship, and a free end of strap overlying said overlying portions and passing beneath and then fully around said overlying portions with the inner face of the free end in engagement therewith to form at least one and one-half overlying and untwisted wraps of strap thereabout, the looped end being doubled back with its outer face turned inwardly, the free end being wrapped over and under the doubled back portion of the looped end with its inner face in engagement with the looped end, and said ends being drawn taut to secure the knot.

3. A ligature-type knot formed from an elongated ribbonlike strap with opposing faces comprising, a looped end of strap having a pair of overlying strap portions in contiguous face-to-face relationship, and a free end of strap overlying said overlying portions and passing beneath and then fully around said overlying portions with the inner face of the free end in engagement therewith to form at least one and one-half overlying and untwisted wraps of strap thereabout, said looped end passing over and around the second end over said untwisted wraps with the outer face of the looped end in engagement therewith to form at least one double wrap of strap thereabout, the looped end being doubled back with its outer face turned inwardly, the free end being wrapped over and under the doubled back portion of the looped end with its inner face in engagement with the looped end, and said ends being drawn taut to secure the knot.

4. A method of tying a ligature-type knot of ribbonlike strap with opposing faces and one free end for securing the strap about an associated article, comprising forming a looped end in the strap spaced from said free end with portions of the strap in overlying face-to-face contiguous relationship, passing the free end at least one and one-half times around said overlying portions with one of the faces of the free end in engagement therewith to form at least one and one-half overlying and untwisted wraps of strap thereabout, doubling back the looped end toward the free end, passing the free end over and under the doubled back portion of the looped end to form an untwisted wrap of strap thereabout, drawing the ends taut to secure the knot, and severing the looped end from the remaining strap.

5. A method of tying a ligature-type knot of ribbonlike strap with opposing faces and one free end for securing the strap about an associated article, comprising forming a looped end in the strap spaced from said free end with portions of said strap in overlying face-to-face contiguous relationship, passing the free end over and under and around said overlying portions with the inner face of the free end in engagement therewith to form at least one and one-half overlying and untwisted Wraps of strap thereabout, doubling back the looped end with its outer face turned inwardly, passing the free end over and under the doubled back portion of the looped end with the inner face of the free end in engagement with the looped end to form one untwisted wrap of strap thereabout, drawing the ends taut to secure the knot, and severing the looped end from the remaining strap.

6. A method of tying a ligature-type knot of ribbonlike strap with opposing faces and one free end for securing the strap about an associated article, comprising forming a looped end in the strap spaced from said free end with portions of said strap in overlying face-to-face contiguous relationship, passing the free end over and under and around said overlying portions with the inner face of the free end in engagement therewith to form at least one and one-half overlying and untwisted wraps of strap thereabout, passing the looped end over and under the free end over said wraps of strap with the outer face of the looped end in engagement therewith to form at least one untwisted double wrap of strap thereabout, doubling back the looped end toward the free end with its outer face turned inwardly, passing the free end over and under the doubled back portion of the looped end with its inner face in engagement with the looped end to form one untwisted wrap of strap thereabout, drawing the ends taut to secure the knot, and severing the looped end from the remaining strap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LIGATURE-TYPE KNOT FORMED FROM AN ELONGATED RIBBONLIKE STRAP WITH OPPOSING FACES COMPRISING, A LOOPED END OF STRAP HAVING A PAIR OF OVERLYING STRAP PORTIONS IN CONTIGUOUS FACE-TO-FACE RELATIONSHIP, AND A FREE END OF STRAP PASSING AT LEAST ONE AND ONE-HALF TIMES AROUND SAID OVERLYING PORTIONS WITH ONE OF THE FACES OF THE FREE END IN ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH TO FORM AT LEAST ONE AND ONE-HALF OVERLYING AND UNTWISTED WRAPS OF STRAP THEREABOUT, THE LOOPED END BEING DOUDBLED BACK, THE FREE END BEING WRAPPED OVER AND UNDER THE DOUBLED BACK PORTION OF THE LOOPED END WITH SAID ONE FACE THEREOF IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LOOPED END, AND SAID ENDS BEING DRAWN TAUT TO SECURE THE KNOT. 